Patents by Inventor Douglas B. Quine
Douglas B. Quine has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
-
Patent number: 7149780Abstract: A method for determining e-mail address formatting rules corresponding to particular domain names, whereby e-mail address data is collected and sorted based on domains. Based on the gathered data for particular domains, a pattern is identified and an e-mail address formatting rule is determined. Format rule information is stored for future use to assist in correcting and directing e-mail messages so that they may be received by their intended recipients. Gathering of e-mail address data occurs by directly gathering e-mail addresses and e-mail address format data directly from entities responsible for the domain or format are derived based on patterns observed in collected address data for particular domains. Data for developing these patterns may be gathered from e-mail address information resident on the Internet, e-mail address information from e-mail address books, or from public e-mail address listings.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2001Date of Patent: December 12, 2006Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventors: Douglas B. Quine, Karl H Schumacher
-
Patent number: 7060927Abstract: A method and system for encapsulating mail containers delivered to a building so as to prevent possible contaminants in the mail containers from contaminating the building. An opening is provided on a building wall that substantially separates indoor air circulation from the outdoor air for receiving the mail containers. A plastic tube having a closed end and an open end is used to encapsulate the mail containers. The open end is securely attached to the opening in the wall for receiving the mail containers into the tube, while preventing air circulation outside the building from entering the opening. A sealing device is used to seal the plastic tube for keeping the mail containers in separate sealed sections. A severing device is used to separate the sealed sections in the encapsulated packages so that the encapsulated packages can be tested for the possible contaminants.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2003Date of Patent: June 13, 2006Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventors: Douglas B. Quine, Denis J. Stemmle
-
Patent number: 7016938Abstract: A method for forwarding an e-mail message from a disfavored e-mail address to a forwarding e-mail address via a remote e-mail forwarding computer having a unique e-mail address. An e-mail message is sent from a user to the remote e-mail forwarding computer. The remote e-mail forwarding computer parses the intended e-mail address from the e-mail message to determine if there is a disfavored e-mail address associated with the intended e-mail address. The e-mail message is sent from the remote computer to a computer associated with at least one forwarding address if there is determined at least one disfavored e-mail address is associated with the intended e-mail address. If there is not a determined forwarding e-mail address than the remote computer stores at least the disfavored e-mail in archival for forwarding in the event a forwarding address is subsequently stored in the remote computer which is associated with the disfavored e-mail address.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2000Date of Patent: March 21, 2006Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventor: Douglas B Quine
-
Patent number: 7004396Abstract: A mailpiece sorter system including a mailpiece feeding assembly operative to selectively feed mailpieces singularly or in groupings of mailpieces consisting of more than one mailpiece and a mailpiece sortation assembly operatively coupled to the mailpiece feeding assembly. The mailpiece sortation system includes a plurality mailpiece sortation bins and a diverting assembly for directing fed mailpieces into a predetermined mailpiece sortation bins. A control system is operatively coupled to the mailpiece feeding assembly to determine which mailpieces are to be singularly fed from said feeding assembly and which mailpieces are to be fed from said feeding assembly in a predetermined grouping of mailpieces.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2004Date of Patent: February 28, 2006Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventors: Douglas B. Quine, Christopher A. Baker
-
Patent number: 6988129Abstract: A method and system for providing address change notification in an e-mail forwarding system by providing a pre-generated e-mail address change notification to recipients selected during registration in the e-mail forwarding system. The e-mail forwarding system operating when a message is received at an e-mail forwarding computer, the message identifying the first disfavored e-mail address. The e-mail forwarding computer parses the first e-mail address from the message to determine if there is a second preferred forwarding e-mail address associated with the first e-mail address. If there is a second e-mail address associated with the first e-mail address, the e-mail forwarding computer sends the e-mail message to a third computer associated with the second e-mail address.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2001Date of Patent: January 17, 2006Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventor: Douglas B. Quine
-
Patent number: 6985408Abstract: A system and method for dynamically adjusting expiration dates displayed on consumer products, the system and method utilizing an LCD display for displaying an expiration date and messages, sensors for monitoring environmental conditions, a clock for counting back the expiration date, and a controller for determining messages and adjustments to the displayed expiration date based on monitored environmental conditions.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2004Date of Patent: January 10, 2006Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventor: Douglas B. Quine
-
Patent number: 6957248Abstract: A method and system for forwarding an e-mail message addressed to a first disfavored e-mail address to a second preferred forwarding e-mail address. A message is received at an e-mail forwarding computer, the message identifying the first disfavored e-mail address. The e-mail forwarding computer parses the first e-mail address from the message to determine if there is a second preferred forwarding e-mail address associated with the first e-mail address. If there is a second e-mail address associated with the first e-mail address, the e-mail forwarding computer sends the e-mail message to a third computer associated with the second e-mail address.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2001Date of Patent: October 18, 2005Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventors: Douglas B. Quine, Alexander B. Quine
-
Patent number: 6895427Abstract: A method and system for forwarding an e-mail message intended to be delivered to a first e-mail address to a second e-mail address in the event the first e-mail address is disfavored. An e-mail message is sent from a from a first computer that was originally addressed to a first e-mail address to a second computer that is capable of forwarding the e-mail message to a second e-mail address. The second computer receives the e-mail message and parses the first e-mail address from the e-mail message to determine if there is a second e-mail address associated with the first e-mail address. If there is a second e-mail address associated with the first e-mail address, the second computer sends the e-mail message to a third computer associated with the second e-mail address. If there is not, then the second computer determines if it can suggest a username, or a new username format to be used for the username associated with the domain name address of the disfavored e-mail address.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2000Date of Patent: May 17, 2005Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventors: Douglas B. Quine, Karl H. Schumacher
-
Patent number: 6865561Abstract: System and method are provided for generating a Postnet bar code with a closed system metering device. Before an indicium is printed on a mailpiece, a scanner is used to scan recipient address information printed on a mailpiece. Using the scanned information, the metering device determines the Postnet bar code corresponding to the scanned information. A check is then made to determine if the recipient address information has changed from the scanned information. If it has not changed, the metering device prints the postal code on the mailpiece. When the recipient address information has changed, the metering device generates a corrected postal code and prints the corrected postal code and the corrected address on the mailpiece.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 1998Date of Patent: March 8, 2005Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventors: Robert W. Allport, Stephen Kelly, Timothy J. Nicholls, Christopher J. Capelli, Douglas B. Quine
-
Patent number: 6839738Abstract: A method for correcting an e-mail message that has been determined as being undeliverable via a remote e-mail correcting computer having a unique e-mail address including the steps of prescribing at least one domain name address in the remote e-mail computer by a subscriber and prescribing at least one format for formatting e-mail addresses intended to be sent to the at least one domain name address. A ser then sends to the remote computer an e-mail message addressed to an intended e-mail address that was determined undeliverable. The remote computer receives this e-mail message from the senders computer that was addressed to an intended e-mail address. The intended e-mail address is parsed from the e-mail message in the remote computer to determine if the domain name address of the e-mail message has been prescribed with the remote computer.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2000Date of Patent: January 4, 2005Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventors: Douglas B. Quine, Karl H. Schumacher
-
Patent number: 6832246Abstract: A method for forwarding an e-mail message from a disfavored e-mail address to a forwarding e-mail address via a remote e-mail forwarding computer having a unique e-mail address. An e-mail message is sent from a user to the remote e-mail forwarding computer. The remote e-mail forwarding computer parses the intended e-mail address from the e-mail message to determine if there is a disfavored e-mail address associated with the intended e-mail address. The e-mail message is sent from the remote computer to the computers associated with the forwarding address[es] if there is determined at least one disfavored e-mail address is associated with the intended e-mail address.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2000Date of Patent: December 14, 2004Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventor: Douglas B Quine
-
Publication number: 20040246819Abstract: A system and method for dynamically adjusting expiration dates displayed on consumer products, the system and method utilizing an LCD display for displaying an expiration date and messages, sensors for monitoring environmental conditions, a clock for counting back the expiration date, and a controller for determining messages and adjustments to the displayed expiration date based on monitored environmental conditions.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2004Publication date: December 9, 2004Applicant: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventor: Douglas B. Quine
-
Publication number: 20040230543Abstract: A method for retrieving mail tracking details of a mailpiece sent to a recipient using a stored image of the mailpiece. A mailpiece is provided with a unique mailpiece tracking identifier and the identifier is stored in a database. An image of the mailpiece is then acquired and also stored in the database in association with the unique mailpiece tracking identifier. Mailpiece tracking details for the mailpiece are then acquired as the mailpiece is delivered to a recipient, which tracking details are stored in the database in association with the mailpiece tracking identifier and stored image. A user seeking the particular tracking details is then presented with at least one stored image of a mailpiece, and when an image is selected by a user, the user is presented with the mail tracking details that were stored in association with the selected mailpiece image.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 24, 2003Publication date: November 18, 2004Inventors: Christopher A. Baker, Douglas B. Quine, Cortland D. Starrett
-
Publication number: 20040215478Abstract: A method for generating PLANET service codes for a batch of mailpieces with the PLANET service code having assignable digits. The PLANET service code is changed to provide a unique tracking number for each mailpiece determinative upon whether a POSTNET service code is known for each mailpiece in the batch of mailpieces, and if known, whether that POSTNET service code was applied to a previous mailpiece in the batch of mailpieces.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 17, 2003Publication date: October 28, 2004Inventors: Christopher A. Baker, Douglas B. Quine, Cortland D. Starrett
-
Publication number: 20040215368Abstract: A system for acquiring and storing mailpiece processing and tracking details in association with mailing details for a mailpiece, wherein said mailing details are received from a postal delivery system. The system includes at least one mailpiece processing system for generating mailpieces wherein the mailpiece processing system is configured to generate an electronic file containing the processing details for its generated mailpieces. Also included is at least one imaging device for acquiring images of the generated mailpieces. A database is provided for storing the mailpiece processing and tracking details along with the acquired images. An electronic communication system links the database to: a postal delivery system; the at least one mailpiece processing system and to the mailpiece imaging device.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 23, 2003Publication date: October 28, 2004Inventors: Christopher A. Baker, Douglas B. Quine, Cortland D. Starrett
-
Publication number: 20040202386Abstract: A method and system for processing a paper document, so as to enhance coordination of the paper document with its electronic counterpart, are presented. The paper document is scanned to create an electronic twin having searchable content, and an identification code is put on the paper document. Then the electronic twin and the identification code are stored in a searchable database. The identification code is ascertainable from a search result, and the paper document is then retrievable using the ascertained identification code.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 11, 2003Publication date: October 14, 2004Applicant: Pitney Bowes IncorporatedInventor: Douglas B. Quine
-
Patent number: 6795376Abstract: A system and method for dynamically adjusting expiration dates displayed on consumer products, the system and method utilizing an LCD display for displaying an expiration date and messages, sensors for monitoring environmental conditions, a clock for counting back the expiration date, and a controller for determining messages and adjustments to the displayed expiration date based on monitored environmental conditions.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2001Date of Patent: September 21, 2004Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventor: Douglas B. Quine
-
Patent number: 6782415Abstract: A closed-loop message distribution system is disclosed for accepting documents from a variety or sources via a plurality of media, presenting the documents to a plurality of recipients through their preferred communications channel, document personalization, and suppressing delivery of follow-up documents to those recipients who have responded to an earlier related message.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2000Date of Patent: August 24, 2004Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventor: Douglas B Quine
-
Publication number: 20040094615Abstract: A method that enables a receiver or receiver's agent (hereinafter “recipient”) to obtain notification of the letters, flats and/or packages (mail) that the recipient is going to receive prior to the delivery of the mail. The recipient is then able to inform a post or courier, e.g., Federal Express®, Airborne,® United Parcel Service®, DHL®, etc., of the manner in which the recipient would like the mail delivered. The post and courier, hereinafter, will be referred to as “carrier”. For instance, the recipient may want the mail physically redirected to the recipient's temporary address, or physically delivered to the recipient's agent, or physically delivered to the recipient's attorney, or physically returned to the mailer.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 7, 2003Publication date: May 20, 2004Applicant: Pitney Bowes IncorporatedInventors: Ronald P. Sansone, Robert A. Cordery, Donald G. MacKay, John W. Sussmeier, Kevin W. Bodie, Frederick W. Ryan,, Douglas B. Quine
-
Patent number: 6717957Abstract: A closed-loop message distribution method is disclosed for accepting documents from a variety or sources via a plurality of media, presenting the documents to a plurality of recipients through their preferred communications channel, document personalization, and suppressing delivery of follow-up documents to those recipients who have responded to an earlier related message.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2000Date of Patent: April 6, 2004Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventor: Douglas B Quine